Method and device for charging battery

Abstract

A method for charging a battery includes: determining a first charging section, in which a current charging rate of the battery is located, from among a plurality of charging sections predetermined based on a functional relation between a state of charge of the battery and an open circuit voltage of an anode of the battery; and charging the battery for the first charging section with a first charging rate corresponding to the first charging section.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for charging a battery, the method comprising:
 monitoring a state of the battery; 
 determining, based on the monitored state of the battery, a current charging stage among a plurality of charging stages to which both a multi-stage constant current charging scheme and a single stage constant voltage charging scheme are applied, wherein the plurality of charging stages is consecutive stages in which the battery is charged with different constant charging rates, respectively; 
 charging the battery during the current charging stage with a current charging rate corresponding to the current charging stage; and 
 charging the battery during a next charging stage with a next charging rate corresponding to the next charging stage based on a potential difference between a potential of an anode of the battery and a potential of an electrolytes solution of the battery in the current charging stage being determined to be equal to or less than a predetermined value. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the next charging rate is less than the current charging rate. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein
 the current charging rate corresponding to the current charging stage is determined so as to maintain the potential difference between the potential of the anode of the battery and the potential of the electrolyte solution of the battery to be greater than zero in the current charging stage. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined value is 2×10-6 volt. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 monitoring whether a charging voltage of the battery has reached a predetermined voltage value when determined charging stage of the battery is a last charging stage among the plurality of charging stages; and 
 applying a predetermined constant charging voltage to the battery when the charging voltage is determined to be equal to the predetermined voltage value. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of charging stages is determined based on a window with a predetermined height applied with reference to a minimum or a maximum of a differential graph of a functional relation of an open circuit voltage of an anode material of the battery with respect to a state of charge, and
 the predetermined height is predetermined according to complexity of a charging process. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein
 as the predetermined height increases, a width of the window increases to increase respective lengths of the plurality of charging stages, and 
 as the predetermined height decreases, the width of the window reduces to reduce the respective lengths of the plurality of charging stages. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 6 , wherein
 as the predetermined height increases, a width of the window increases to reduce a number of the plurality of charging stages, and 
 as the predetermined height increases, the width of the window reduces to increase the number of the plurality of charging stages. 
 
     
     
       9. A device for charging a battery comprising:
 a processor; 
 a memory connected to the processor; and 
 a charging interface connected to the battery, 
 wherein the processor performs a program stored in the memory to perform: 
 monitoring a state of the battery; 
 determining, based on the monitored state of the battery, a first charging stage among a plurality of charging stages to which both a multi-stage constant current charging scheme and a single stage constant voltage charging scheme are applied, wherein the plurality charging stages are consecutive stages in which the battery is charged with different constant charging rates, respectively; 
 charging the battery during the first charging stage with a first charging rate corresponding to the first charging stage; and 
 charging the battery during a second charging stage with a second charging rate corresponding to the second charging stage based on a potential difference between a potential of an anode of the battery and a potential of an electrolytes solution of the battery in the first charging stage being determined to be equal to or less than a predetermined value. 
 
     
     
       10. The device of  claim 9 , wherein the second charging rate is less than the first charging rate. 
     
     
       11. The device of  claim 9 , wherein
 the first charging rate corresponding to the first charging stage and the second charging rate corresponding to the second charging stage are determined so as to maintain the potential difference between the potential of the anode of the battery and the potential of the electrolyte solution of the battery to be greater than zero in the first charging stage. 
 
     
     
       12. The device of  claim 9 , wherein the predetermined value is 2×10-6 volt. 
     
     
       13. The device of  claim 9 , wherein
 the processor performs the program stored in the memory to further perform: 
 monitoring whether a charging voltage of the battery has reached a predetermined voltage value when determined charging stage of the battery is a last charging stage among the plurality of charging stages; and 
 applying a predetermined constant charging voltage to the battery when the charging voltage is determined to be equal to the predetermined voltage value. 
 
     
     
       14. The device of  claim 9 , wherein
 the plurality of charging stages is determined based on a window with a predetermined height applied with reference to a minimum or a maximum of a differential graph of a functional relation of an open circuit voltage of an anode material of the battery with respect to a state of charge, and 
 the predetermined height is predetermined according to complexity of a charging process. 
 
     
     
       15. The device of  claim 14 , wherein
 as the predetermined height increases, a width of the window increases to increase respective lengths of the plurality of charging stages, and 
 as the predetermined height decreases, the width of the window reduces to reduce the respective lengths of the plurality of charging stages. 
 
     
     
       16. The device of  claim 14 , wherein
 as the predetermined height increases, a width of the window increases to reduce a number of the plurality of charging stages, and 
 as the predetermined height decreases, the width of the window reduces to increase the number of the plurality of charging stages.